Popular Searches
Around the middle of February, as I scrolled absently through filler content on a screen, my inattention was broken by an “oh wait.” A something had nearly passed by, but it was not some shiny new object that had gripped me — no desirable “would be nice to have” or “that looks like fun.” What had interrupted me was a “now is the right time.”
Lent is often observed through intentional austerity. A traditional commitment for the season might be to forego or delay the purchase of something desired. For me, I think that would be an easy win. The culture of commercial overreach has so predictably intruded into my life, that navigating those waters has become second nature. Resisting the “buy now!” is reflexive.
The opposite is more difficult. What if I rest too comfortably, feeling secure in my restraint, and I miss the right time to commit? As it turns out, now is the right time. The fruit of the future is disguised in the dormant seeds lying dull and inert…boring and unremarkable. Fruit in the season of harvest looks like dry seeds in the dust right now.
The “oh wait” that day in February was caused by an advertisement for packets of seeds. If I wanted to grow fruit later, I needed to buy the seeds now. I needed to commit to the future by accepting the dormant, unfulfilled, present reality. For me, this year, Lent is like this.we actively wait through contemplative practice, taking stock, letting go, and making space for the miracle of the coming season.
This piece is part of the Farminary Lenten Reflection Series. Each week throughout the 2026 Lenten season, alumni of the Seminary will share a personal reflection rooted in soil, scripture, and hope. Students in the Master of Arts in Theology and Ecology program and those pursuing the Concentration in Theology, Ecology, and Faith Formation participate in the Farminary to explore ecological sustainability rooted in theological practice. Learn more about The Farminary Project.
